FATIMA, Portugal — Suffering from an autoimmune disease, 71-year-old Maria Emilia travels – often by foot – to one of Catholicism’s most famous sanctuaries in Portugal every year. But the coronavirus pandemic made her trip more important than ever.
Standing in circles marked to maintain social distancing, Emilia joined about 7,500 other faithful at a massive outdoor venue on Wednesday evening at the Fatima Sanctuary to mark the first of three reported visions of the Virgin Mary, also known as Our Lady, more than 100 years ago.
Like many others, Emilia came to Fatima with her sister and daughter with one main purpose: to pray for an end to the pandemic still ravaging the w…
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